Dyeing machine



R. M. BELL ETAL DYEING MACHINE Aug. 30, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. :24, 1964 1966 R. M. BELL ETAL 3,269,152

DYEING MACHINE Filed Aug. .24, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS ROBERT M. BELL GEORGE E. l/oeswooo United States Patent 3,269,152 DYEING MACHINE Robert M. Bell, Ardsley, Pa, and George E. Horswood,

Palmyra, N..l., assignors to Klauder Weldon Giles Machine Company, Inc., Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Aug. 24, 1964, Ser. No. 391,458 Claims. (Cl. 68 -4) This invention relates to a dyeing machine of the type used for dyeing various types of fabric.

One object of the invention is to produce an improved machine of the type set forth.

A further object is to produce an improved dyeing machine which can be interchangeably used for dyeing continuous material, such as tubular or flat knit fabrics and the like, as well as non-continuous material, such as socks, sweaters and the like.

A still further object is to produce a dyeing machine which can be converted from one use to another by the installation, or removal, of a minimum number of parts which are constructed and arranged for easy mounting and installation.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the following specification and the accompanying drawings in which FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a dyeing machine embodying this invention, the machine being shown ready for use in dyeing continuous material.

FIG. 2 is a slightly enlarged vertical sectional view of the upper portion of the machine, the view being taken on a vertical plane spaced from the vertical plane of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the machine with the cover removed to show the internal structure.

FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 2 but showing the machine adapted for use in dyeing non-continuous material.

The machine illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 includes a supporting frame 10 which carries a vat 12 and also supports an upper casing 14 which coacts with vat 12 to enclose the parts of the machine later on described. Upper casing 14 is provided with vertical sliding end doors 16 and 18 which are moved downwardly to afford access to the interior of the upper casing and vice versa. The vat 12 is provided with a pipe 20 for supplying the dye liquor to be used and with a pipe 22 for supplying steam. The temperature can be automatically regulated by conventional means, not shown, in response to the temperature of thermometer bulb 24. The supply of dye and steam is also controlled by conventional means, not shown. The

vat is also provided with a perforated false bottom 26 which preferably slants, as shown in FIG. 1, and which serves to support the folds of an endless loop 28 of ma terial to be dyed. The loop 28 of material to be dyed passes over, and is propelled, in the direction of the arrows shown in FIG. 1, by a wheel 30 which comprises radial paddles 32 on which is detachably mounted a perforated drum 34 which may be circular or polygonal. It will be noted that the material loop 28 also passes over an idler roll 36. Wheel 30 is carried by shaft 38 the opposite ends of which are journalled in arms 40 which are pivoted at 42. Shaft 38 is driven by a conventional motor M and conventional variable speed drive 44. The opposite ends of shaft 38 are adapted to move in slots 46, which are provided in the opposite side frame members of the machine so as to permit movement of wheel 30 to the uppermost position of FIG. 2, or to the lowermost position of FIG. 4, or to any position in between, for the purpose hereinafter set forth. Arms 40 may be locked in any position to which it may have been moved by means of locking pins 48. Wheel 30 is raised or lowered,

by means of lift screws which engage threaded nuts 52 on arm 40 and which are rotated by cranks 54.

In order to confine each loop to a separate path, we provide a rail 56, FIGS. 1 and 4 which carries parallel pins 58 each pair of which defines a guide space through which a loop 28 passes, FIG. 3.

Roller 36 and rail 56 are clamped in position by suitable journal brackets which are secured to the frame by screws 60 or the like so that they may be readily installed or removed.

The operation of the machine thus far described is as follows:

With doors 16 and 18 lowered, the material to be dyed, such as piece goods, is passed over drum 34, over idler roll 36, and between a pair of pin 58 and its ends are stitched as at 62 to form the endless loop 28 previously referred to. When drum 34 has been loaded to the desired extent, the motor is turned on to propel loop 28 in the direction of the arrows so as to immerse successive portions of the endless loop in the dye liquor. The length of time during which any portion of the loop is immersed can be controlled by the speed of rotation of wheel 30, by the level of the liquor in the vat, and by the position of wheel 30 relative to the level of the liquor. For example, by slowing the rotation of wheel 30, the immersed portions of the loops will take longer to pass through the vat. The same result can be obtained by lowering wheel 30 or by raising the level of the liquor in the vat.

When the dyeing operation has been completed, stitches 62 are removed and the end of a loop is pulled out and passed over a suitably driven take-out roll 64 to withdraw the material out of the vat.

When it is desired to dye non-continuous goods, such as garments and the like, drum 34 is removed; batches 66 of the goods to be dyed are placed in the liquor and wheel 30 is lowered to the desired position, FIG. 4, at least partly to immerse the paddles 32 in the dye liquor whereby rotation of wheel 30 causes the paddles to push goods 66 through the dye.

From the foregoing it will be seen that as illustrated in the drawings, the apparatus can be used for dyeing endless, or looped goods and that, by removing drum 34, with, or without removing rail 56 and idler 36, the apparatus is instantly converted for use in dyeing batch goods.

What we claim is:

1. A dyeing machine including:

a vat adapted to contain dye liquor,

a wheel,

means mounting said wheel for movement to a first position remote from, and to other positions closer to, the level of the liquor in the vat,

means for retaining said wheel in any of said positions,

means for rotating said wheel,

and means carried by said wheel for supporting and propelling the goods to be dyed.

2. The machine defined in claim 1 and an idler roll spaced from said wheel and engageable by said goods.

3. The machine defined in claim 1 in which said wheel includes radial paddles which when said wheel is in a lpwer position are immersed in the liquor.

4. The machine defined in claim 3 and a perforated drum detachably mounted on said paddles.

5. The machine defined in claim 1 and a plurality of spaced fingers providing guide spaces therebetween providing separate paths for movement of the goods to be dyed into the liquor.

6. The machine defined in claim 2 in which said idler roller is detachably secured.

7. The machine defined in claim 2 in which said fingers are detachably secured.

8. A machine selectably usable for dyeing a material in endless 100p form and in batch form, said machine including:

a vat for containing the dye liquor, a wheel, paddles carried by said wheel, means mounting said wheel for vertical movement relative to the level of the dye liquor in said vat, adjustable means for moving said wheel to, and keeping in a lower position in which said paddles are immersed enough to engage and propel a batch of web through the dye liquor, a drum for supporting a continuous loop of web, means for detachably mounting said drum on said paddles for converting said machine from batch to continuous loop dyeing, and means for rotating said drum. 9, The machine defined in claim 9 and auxiliary guide References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 985,695 2/1911 Palmer 68176 1,555,673 9/1925 Jensen W 68-135 1,873,635 8/1932 Hope et al 68-176 X 2,156,090 4/1939 Hinnekens 68-177 X 3,233,256 2/1966 Maynard 68-177 X FOREIGN PATENTS 236,728 7/1925 Great Britain.

IRVING BUNEVICH, Primary Examiner. 

1. A DYEING MACHINE INCLUDING: A VAT ADAPTED TO CONTAIN DYE LIQUOR, A WHEEL, MEANS MOUNTING SAID WHEEL FOR MOVEMENT TO A FIRST POSITION REMOTE FROM, AND TO OTHER POSITIONS CLOSER TO, THE LEVEL OF THE LIQUOR IN THE VAT, MEANS FOR RETAINING SAID WHEEL IN ANY OF SAID POSITIONS, MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID WHEEL, AND MEANS CARRIED BY SAID WHEEL FOR SUPPORTING AND PROPELLING THE GOODS TO BE DYED. 